Social Networking in Education. Chapter 2. - 2.1 Introduction - Why Should Teachers Embark on Web 2.0 Tools for Social Networking?

The Internet has led to an unprecedented change in the way we live. It is already difficult for us to imagine a life without email or Google, without having all information ready at hand, any time we like ¿ unless our connection or computer breaks down. For the younger generation, the virtual sphere created by the Internet, mobile phones, online games, iPods, etc., has become their natural habitat. They exchange music and pictures; download and upload videos; interact simultaneously on different platforms; search for information (and ways of cheating) for their schoolwork; and, sometimes even do homework together in virtual networks. These ¿digital natives¿ take their entire lives online ¿ and this of course includes their school lives. The same pupils who meet in class in the morning meet again on social networking sites in the afternoon. This is one of the strengths of Web 2.0: it extends physical networks to form virtual communities. And even more powerfully: it supports and builds virtual communities ¿ such as eTwinning ¿ where there are not necessarily opportunities to meet in person.

REDECKER Christine; 

2010-02-01

European Schoolnet

JRC56773

https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC56773,